186 PROCEEDINGS. 



move and more important for the attainment of this object to raise those of the best qualify 

 only. 



So numerous and so excellent have been the specimens exhibited in competition for the 

 prizes, that the Committee have, in some instances, been embarrassed in making their 

 awards; where so many are nearly equal in size, quality and beauty, it is not always easy 

 to decide which are the best. The Committee have strenuously endeavored in all cases to 

 do exact justice to the different competitors, and if they have failed in this respect it has 

 been through an error of judgment. Having made minute and careful examinations, and 

 a record of these examinations, from week to week, a judgment in opposition to their 

 awards, though fairly formed, from lecollection merely, without such record, might at 

 least as properly as theirs be subject to the imputation of error. The fact of a particular 

 variety of fruit being or not being well adapted to general cultivation, as well as its 

 quality, has influenced the Committee in their conclusions. They have felt that they 

 should not be justified, through danger of misapprehension, in awarding a Prize to a fruit 

 generally of an inferior quality, or one not suited to general cultivation, even when the 

 particular specimens exhibited were of superior excellence. 



Stone fruits, as Cherries, Plums and Peaches, have the past year been very superior in 

 quality and very abundant in quantity. Pears have varied very much in quantity if not in 

 quality, the crop in some places being scanty and in others abundant, showing, most 

 probably, the effect of the precedmg Winter on the trees in different places, while of 

 Apples, almost every where the product has been small. 



Opportunity has been afforded the past year of tasting of several new varieties of fruits, 

 and as the numerous introductions of the last few years are now coming into bearing, 

 constantly increasing opportunities for testing the quality, bearing properties and adaptation 

 to general cultivation of these introductions may be reasonably expected. As, however, 

 no conclusive judgment can properly be formed of the quality of a fruit the first year, or 

 from a few specimens only, but little more than a partial enumeration of these new 

 varieties will here be attempted. Although much disappointment should be anticipated, 

 yet it is not unreasonable to hope that among the many varieties imported during the few 

 past years some maybe found of great excellence. That what is now beginning to be 

 regarded by cultivators as one of our best Winter Pears, and well adapted to general 

 cultivation, the Glout Morceau, was but a few years since almost condemned as nearly 

 worthless, should be a warning against hasty conclusions or a premature judgment respect- 

 ing the quality of a fruit, and although, as has been remarked on a similar previous occasion, 

 it is best for beginners to content themselves with those varieties whose qualities have been 

 long and thoroughly tested, those who have new varieties should be cautious not to reject 

 after one or two trials only, but permit their trees to arrive at maturity before coming to a 

 decision respecting the value of their fruit. 



Through the kindness of J. P. Cushing, Esq., your Committee had the past year an 

 opportunity to taste thirtytwo varieties of the Strawberry, raised by that gentleman at his 

 seat in Watertown, for the purpose of testing their quality and value for cultivation. Many 

 of these varieties are American seedlings of recent origin. Among these Strawberries, 

 the New Pine, and Burr's New Pine, were thought to be of high flavor and very fine quality, 

 and the Cornucopia, though acid, to be well flavored and good. As none of the others, 

 with the exception of a few well known sorts, were considered above a medium quality, 

 an enumeration of their names is felt to be unnecessary. Of Strawberries, the Early 

 Virginia, Hovey's Seedling and Jenney's Seedling are thus far, taking all circumstances 

 into consideration, probably the most profitable and best for general cultivation in this 

 vicinity. There are, however, other varieties worthy of trial. The President of the Society 

 has a Seedling, raised by him, that gives indication of being worthy of a place with the 

 foregoing, though the fact of its being a staminate plant somewhat deteriorates from its 



